Congestion at Cars Land bodes well for Disney

A Disney employee directs traffic on Route 66 at the opening day of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Brothers Ricky and Colin Hastert of Santa Maria take on a different look while taking a break where their "Rust-eze" hats at the opening day of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Route 66 got fairly congested at the opening day of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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At one point the wait was four hours for the Radiator Springs Racers on the opening day of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Michael Taylor and his daughter Chloe were part of the crowd of people who came to the opening day of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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It looked like rush hour on Route 66 in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The newsboys entertain the crowd the opening day of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Griselle Hernandez and Rodrigo Lopez Jr. play on one of the cones at the Cozey Cone Motel while their family waits to order food on the opening day of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Rudy Baez Jr. of Santa Ana gets in the spirt opening day in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Tow Mater brings up the rear on the dily parade of Pixar characters on the opening day of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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A tire ull of park visitors try to acquire a giant beach ball while riding Luigi's Flying Tires on the opening day of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Tow Mater brings up the rear on the dily parade of Pixar characters on the opening day of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Kellie Krouse of Rancho Santa Margarita has some fun in her new hat on the opening day of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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"Cars" creator John Lasseter celebrates during the rededication ceremony for Disney California Adventure and the grand opening of Cars Land Friday. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Park visitors take in the opening day of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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At 9:45 a.m. the line for Radiator Springs Racers stretched all the way back to Paradise Pier and was five-and-a-half hours long. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Route 66 got fairly congested at the opening day of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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There is always time for texting even at the opening day of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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One of the first cars-full of passengers carries cheering park guests out of the Radiator Springs Racers station Friday. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Michael Dalton of Long Beach discovers a unique way to wear the tire hat that's on sale in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse join Bob Iger, Disney CEO, on stage during a rededication ceremony for Disney California Adventure and the grand opening of Cars Land Friday. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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A rider on Luigi's Flying Tires has more balls than he bargained for on the opening day of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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A new ballons joins the old favorites on the opening day of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Nicco Ramos, 22, left, and Jazmin Cunningham, 22, of Anaheim were the first people in line for Disney California Adventure yesterday. They lined up at 3:30 p.m.. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Paul Hiffmeyer, the Disneyland Resort's chief photographer, takes a picture of "Cars" creator John Lasseter and Kathy Mangum, the executive show producer for Cars Land after the dedication ceremony Friday. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

By SARAH TULLY, ERIC CARPENTER and EUGENE FIELDS / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

A Disney employee directs traffic on Route 66 at the opening day of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Friday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

ANAHEIM At Disney California Adventure on Friday, it was a day of rushing the gates, a six-hour wait for a new ride, figuring ways to survive the crowd and lots of smiles.

The public got its first crack at the new Buena Vista Street and the new Cars Land – with many specifically wanting to be here on Day One.

Five minutes before California Adventure was to open at 9 a.m., the ropes dropped and fans rushed in, mostly straight to Cars Land. Visitors gasped, hooted and held their cameras high.

Terrance Clayton, 38, of Placentia, and his wife and two children beelined for Radiator Springs Racers, one of three new rides in the park and the one that has easily received the best raves from journalists and annual passholders who received sneak peeks.

For the Clayton family, it was but a 10-minute wait.

"That was awesome that we were among the first to get on," Terrance Clayton said. "I feel like we were part of history. What a rush."

Two hours later, it was clear Disney had a hit on its hands with Radiator Springs Racers – and guests had a tremendous wait.

Tracy Webb gasped as she looked at the line that twisted back and forth and out of Cars Land to a different section of the park, Paradise Pier.

Disney staffers greeting guests delivered the news: A six-hour wait.

"Six hours?" Webb, 41, exclaimed, shaking her head. "I hear it's the best ride, but I just can't stand upright that long."

She told her children they'd have to come back another day.

Tony Galvan didn't have that luxury. The dad from El Paso, Texas, dove into the line with his three young children.

"I'm on the last day (of a three-day pass)," he said. "And this is why we came."

As the day went on, some sought solace from shoulder-to-shoulder crowds.

Steve Nathan, his wife and 6-year-old son found it in Blue Sky Cellar, serving as a preview center for Cars Land. It showed scale models of how some of the cars and attractions were designed. They escaped the sun and watched a short movie about Cars Land.

"My son was getting a bit cranky, and I figured we can still enjoy the quieter parts of the park – and come back to ride the rest of the rides another day," said Nathan, 35.

Nathan Stone, 45, of Newport Beach, steered his children, ages 8 and 11, back to Buena Vista Street to show them a cluster of buildings meant to reflect California in the 1920s and 1930s.

"You've just got to go where the people aren't," he reasoned, adding that coming here was still the right thing to do: "They can say they were part of an historic day."

There was a big change at California Adventures' neighbor, Disneyland, too.

The Matterhorn Bobsleds are back.

The popular iconic ride was shuttered for five months while the mountain got a new paint job and new boblsleds. On Friday, the ride opened a couple of hours late.

"The Matterhorn has some new ride-system components and there is a normal test-and-adjust period with any new attraction," Disney spokeswoman Melissa Britt said. "Unforeseen events that affect normal ride operation are handled like they would with any attraction."

Climbers scaled the mountain. A horn blower blew his horn from a perch midway up the mountain.

"It was louder," Cline, 32, said of the sound effects. "It was also darker and scarier. I screamed."

Disney's big day began before California Adventure opened, near its entrance, where fireworks exploded, Disney characters dance and the Walt Disney Co.'s CEO spoke about the conclusion of California Adventure's massive refurbishment, which reportedly cost $1 billion.

"Although we opened Disney California Adventure 11 years ago, we believe the transformation over the last five years ... has created a totally new experience," said CEO Bob Iger, who shepherded the park's reformation.

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